Square One
by Japanimejo
Summary: Heero has moved on after the war. He's now 18, in college on Earth and rooming with Duo. Duo introduces him to a girl named Autumn Jewl...Duo's gettin' married?!? Heero likes Aj?!?! Ch2! R&R PLZ
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: i don't own any character in this story except for A.J. who is my own creation. DON'T STEAL HER! lol just ask permission to use her...and any song I use in this story will be by the Goo Goo Dolls(unless I note otherwise)-i don't own any of their songs! (BUT I LOVE THEM) and the poem, "Square One" is MINE! Once again, DON'T STEAL, just ask permission! anyway, have a good read!  
Square One  
by: japanimejo  
  
Heero walked up to the stairs to his new home. He took a right after reacheaing the 2nd platform and headed down to the very end of the hallway. This dorm room was a joint suite; it meant that all together five people could stay in this dorm room.  
Carrying only his laptop case, a backpack, and a suitcase, the perfect soilder took in a deep sigh as he turned the newly recieved key in the socket. CLICK. He pushed the door opened surprised to find Duo and Trowa in his room.  
"SURPRISE!" Duo said with a widespread grin. "WE'RE ROOMIES!" he continued. "Yes, this should be fun," Trowa mused.   
"Hmn..." Heero said as he set his stuff down on a bed and began to settle in. He took out his clothes and put at least two weeks worth of the same outfit into his closet.   
"Well, fine! That was my bed but I guess it's the perfect soilder's now!" Duo said teasingly. Heero shot him the infamous Death Glare and Duo shut up quickly leaving on the note of, "You've got to quit doing that Yuy; you'll never get a girl that way!"  
Heero then looked to Trowa for an answer. Trowa simply took out his flute and then said, "I joined the band! I'm first chair!..." An expression of sheer surprise came across Heero's face. "I know!!! I didn't think I was a band geek either!" Trowa said leaving to go to his newfound hobby's practice. "Help yourself to anything in the mini fridge although it's not much," Trowa called.  
Heero shook his head still trying to understand the two of them. "Well, Duo has never made any sense, but Trowa, a band geek?" he thought. He turned and saw his laptop laying on the bed. He decided to hook it up and print out his schedule of classes.   
As Heero printed his schedule, he noticed it still said, "major-undecided." "Hmn..." he mused. He had thought all the way down on the flight to Earth of what he wanted to do for a living.  
He examined the schedule even more. Mondays he had English Comp 101, French III, and College Algebra. Tuesdays he had Lab Science. Wednesdays he could relax. Thursday he had American History and Humanitees and Fridays he had Modern Lit 101.  
Heero looked at the clock on his computer. He had arrived at about 3:00 and now it was 4:00 p.m. He was getting hungry for a snack.  
Suddenly, his thoughts were interrupted by Duo coming back in with Hilde. "Hey? You still here? You wanna come with us to get something to eat?" Duo screamed out. Hilde gave a slight smile and look that seemed to say, "Duo's such a loud idiot."  
Heero glanced at his jacket, grabbed it, and followed after the two.   
"It's been a long time Heero," said Hilde with a smile looking back over her shoulder at the boy in the bluejean jacket. Heero shoved his hands in his pockets and stared at the ground. He noticed how Hilde was hanging on Duo's arm but he couldn't have anyone to hang on his.  
"You'll love this restraunt man! It's the greatest-great food, great coffee, and live entertainment!" Duo said excitedly while waving one arm around in the air.  
"Hmn..." Heero replied.  
After their cold walk down the street about five blocks, they turned the corner and came upon a small coffee shop and restraunt. Duo opened the door for Hilde to go in and then waved Heero in too.   
Inside was the smell of insense, special brewed coffee, and really good food. There was a small stage set up in the back corner lit in blue, purple, and black. Heero looked around as Hilde and Duo picked out a table. "So this is college life," he thought to himself noticing a sign with a girl's black and white photograph. It read, " her songs and poems are like nothing you've ever heard before-insightful, emotional, and honest this chick knows about everything, not just misery. A coffee house favorite, Autumn Jewl, (or A.J. as we call her) is an artist you don't want to miss."  
Heero looked at the girl's picture. She was gorgeous. Her eyes were big and set in deep. Her nose was perfect and her mouth was just adorable. She was almost as pretty as Relena.  
Heero's thoughts were interrupted by Duo saying, "c'mon and sit down already!" "Loudmouth baka," Heero thought to himself wishing he could duct tape the braided pilot's mouth shut. "We're not pilots anymore though," Heero thought for himself, "we're just normal human beings now..." His thoughts were once agian interrupted by the waitress and Duo pressing him to know what he wanted to eat. The waitress gathered their orders and was back off to the kitchen. Heero finally decided to say something else besides, "hmn..." He looked at Duo asked, "where's Quatre and Wufei?" "Well," Duo said streching an arm around Hilde, "Quatre said he might enroll late if he can be sure the company will do alright without him there- you know he's such a worrier and Justice Boy, *snicker snicker* you won't believe this one, but Justice Boy is still with Sally Po and they're even talkin' about marriage!"  
"What about you Heero; how have you been and have you seen Relena lately?" asked Hilde. "Don't even talk to me about her," he replied coldly shooting a Death Glare at Hilde unconciously. Duo jumped ontop of Hilde's face screaming, "NO! DON'T LOOK! YOU'LL TURN TO STONE FROM HIS SNAKE HAIR!" Heero glanced up at his hair; it did look pretty rough from the space plane flight so he combed it with his fingers and tried to ignore Duo.  
Duo then realized what Heero had just said. "Wait a min, what'd you say?" he said dazed and confused. "What happened with Relena?" he said as he continued to pry. "Nothing...nothing at all," Heero said picking up a fork and beginning to bang the bottom of it against the table. Duo opened his mouth again but before he could get anything out Heero shot him another Death Glare and said, "Maxwell quit prying before I snap and kill you." Duo's face changed from excitement to disappointment and then finally to confusion. Not having anything to say back to the perfect solider, he shut up.  
Their food was put in front of them and the room darkend. A spotlight was put on the stage to a girl in black pants, black blouse, a black biker's cap, and black nails. Her eyes were lined darkly in black and her hair was a dark, dark black with red streaks all over. Her eyes were a weird color; they were two tone. The outer layer was dark brown slowly fading to a deep green in the middle. She spoke.  
"Love - be it cruel or kind  
is the root of all suffering  
in my mind.  
Watch- as what you've worked for  
falls out of line,  
or Feel the sting of rejection.  
  
Try- so hard   
to make it work  
but forced relationships have no worth.  
Tell- me now   
what must I do  
to return the person I was?  
Must I really start all over?  
All for love? I stand alone.  
I stand at Square One."  
"She speaks with so much conviction. She speaks like she knows me. I've never met anyone who has struck a cord with me so indirectly," Heero thinks to himself feeling a knot in his stomach.. "Why do I feel this way," he quietly wonders. Yet again, Duo interrupts Heero's thoughts. The auideince claps widly for her and she steps off the stage with a short bow.  
"Yuy, are you gawking at that girl up there?" Duo said with a mischievous grin. "No," Heero replied cooly. "Well, I was going to say if you were, I know her and I could introduce you to her," Duo says waving at the girl. She gacefully walks over to where Duo is sitting.  
"Ah, my biggest fan," she says showing a smile. Duo gets up and runs across the table to give her a hug. She embraces him back and smiles even more. "Hello, Hilde," says says very gently. "Good evening to you too A.J.," replies Hilde. "Hmn?" Heero says now intrigued as he looks at the poster and then at the girl. It's the same girl. He didn't notice it. She looks so different with make-up on.  
Duo offers her the seat next to Heero saying, " c'mon and eat with us before you and your band plays...oh and this is my friend Heero Yuy by the way..." He points to Heero.  
"Yuy?" says the girl looking at Heero with a raised eyebrow. "Yea..." Duo says looking confused for about the milliionth time tonight. "Yiuy...Heero Yuy...that isn't your real name is it?" she says in a very matter of fact way. "Yea, that's really his name," Duo says looking baffled.  
A.J. grabs a fry off of Heero's plate and stuffs it in her mouth. Duo and Hilde's mouths drop. Heero throws her a Death Glare and A.J. looks at him. "What's his problem anyway?" she says non chalantly pointing to him while stealing yet another fry from his plate. Duo can tell that Heero is really beginning to get mad at her but he's enjoying watching A.J. stand up to Heero way too much. "I can't believe she isn't afraid of him," Duo thinks to himself. "This is priceless," he whispers to Hilde as they watch A.J. poke fun at Heero.  
"Ok, fine if that's how it's gonna be then I'll stare you down for your fries...first one to flinch, laugh, or blink loses and doesn't get any fries," she says scrambling to get on Heero's eye level. Her nose is about three inches away from Heero's and she's staring him right down with that infamous Death Glare of his staring right back at her.  
Suddenly, Catherine, Trowa, and Quatre bust in through the door. Duo jumps up in huge excitement. He goes and gives Quatre a big hug and then Quatre walks over to say hi to Hilde.   
He then sees the two staring each other down. "GASP, She's staring Heero right in the eye with that Death Glare of his going...brave girl..." he mumbles. "Hi Quat! Go set up and I'll be there as soon as this sucker hands over his fries!" says A.J. not losing her glare on Heero.  
Duo grabs a hold of Trowa's shirt sleeve and starts jumping up and down. "This is so awesome! I've never seen anyone so unafraid of Yuy..." he says shaking Trowa's arm in every different direction. Trowa just looks at him and then back at A.J. and Heero and laughs. "You're right; this is deffinately worth missing an extra sectional..." says Trowa.  
"Band Geek much?" says Duo with a smile. Quatre comes back with his violin. "Ummm..A.J.?" he says quietly. "Not now; everyone can wait! I WON"T LOSE!" she says staring even harder at the perfect soilder. Heero hasn't moved the entire time. Finally, he speaks to A.J. "I'd like to hear you sing sometime tonight," he says very dryly. A.J. blinks in surprise. Heero leans back and says in a very monotone voice, "you lose."  
A.J. tries her best to throw a death glare back at Heero. "I eat your fries anyway," she says taking the plate with her. Heero just watches as she asks Duo once again, "what's his problem?" Duo replies, "he's just a guy who does without showing a lot of emotion." A.J. sticks another fry in her mouth. She then turns around and sets the plate of food back in front of Heero. She puts both hands on the table, leans in and says, "you suck then." Heero is surprised by this comment. A.J. then does a catwalk back up to the stage and makes the announcement to the audience that the band is about to start it's set for the night.   
Heero keeps watching and thinking on A.J. "I think you'll like this song, Mr. Yuy...so this one's for you, cuz emotions seem useless when you feel the way you do..." she says elequoently deadicating the song to Heero.   
Duo by now is on the edge of his seat just staring A.J. down. "I can't believe this girl; she's my new hero!" he says to Hilde as Quatre snickers and begins to play along with the band.   
Quatre is in a pair of black slacks with a gray sweater. He looks like he's getting all into playing the violin.   
"He really loves his music," thinks Heero as he watches the Sandrock's pilot's skilled fingers move to make the melancholy notes.  
A.J. has an acoustic guitar and behind her is a drum set and a guy on electric bass. Sitting next to her is a lead electric guitar. She opens her mouth and beautiful notes flood from it.   
"It's a beautiful day,  
I heard everybody say.  
The sun shines down for all of us...  
Just the same,  
You know I like the rain...  
That ain't so obvious...  
It's a beautiful sight,  
I guess everybody's right...  
This day belongs to all of us...  
Even still,  
I like mine with a chill...  
That ain't so obvious...  
Heero watches as A.J. gracefully strums her guitar and gets all into singing her song. Her body and head is swaying to the music as is Quatre's and everyone else's in the bands.   
Duo grins and peers over at Heero over Hilde who is sitting in between the two. "I think she hit you straight on, bro..." he says with his smile widening. "Shut up Maxwell so I can enjoy the music," Heero replies grumpily. Duo then whispers something to Hilde and she nods her head yes.   
"So what'd ya' think about her, Yuy?" he says with yet another micheivous grin. "Why?" Heero asks. "Becuase..." Duo says with his elbow on the table and his chin in his hand. "Maxwell, I'm not saying this again-shut up so I can listen to the song," Heero says getting irratated.  
Quatre lets into a big run of notes on the violin and A.J.'s voice gets louder, stronger, and prettier than before.  
" We are the normal-  
we live and we die  
with no reason why...  
We are the normal-  
we live and we die  
with no reason why..."  
"Duo's right..." Heero thinks to himself beginning to feel really uneasy for some odd reason. "This song does sound a little like me..." he mumbles where no one can hear him and listens even more intenly.   
A.J. sets down the acoustic guitar quickly and picks up the electric one. The song gets heavier now, the lyrics get stronger, and begin to peirce through Heero's heart. A.J. eyes Heero as she picks the chords on the electric guitar.  
" It's a beautiful life,  
That I've got in my sights-  
And that ain't for all of us...  
It's a beautiful sound,  
when my life comes crashing down-  
that ain't so obvious...  
It's a beautiful sin,  
And I'm doing it again-  
And that ain't for all of us...  
It's a beautiful life,  
That I've got in my sights-  
Ain't that so obvious?"  
The song that once started out calming and soft is now loud and almost dark sounding. Heero watches as A.J. begins to sing from her heart even more than before. "I wish she'd quit looking at me; it's almost like she's written and singing this song just for me..." Heero thinks as he sets his head hands rubbing his temples. "I did have a good life set out for me...but it's gone...and it was beautiful...trying to figure out what I believed in...and then fighting for that...but what now...who needs soilders in times of peace?" Heero thinks getting more upset as A.J. continues to sing.  
Quatre puts out another run and leads A.J. back into the chorus. Heero picks up his head and watches as for once, A.J. shuts her eyes and strums the guitar heavier than ever.  
" We are the normal-  
we live and we die,  
with no reason why...  
We are the normal-  
we live and we die,  
with no reason why..."  
Suddenly the song gets quiet and Quatre steals the spotlight with a fabulous violin solo. A.J. sets down her electric guitar and approaches Heero. She smiles and asks, " do you waltz?" She stretches out a hand and Duo jumps over Hilde to push Heero into her arms. Heero tries to throw a Death Glare a Duo but it's too late. A.J. has already pulled him to his feet and is waltzing with him.   
Everything around the room is spinning to Heero. A.J. has a smile on her face and asks, "are you enjoying my band?" Heero doesn't reply. He had tried to come up with a reply but he coulndn't. A.J. had just struck such a feeling with him. He couldn't describe it. It was almost as if Heero was nervous. All Heero managed to speak was, "hmn." A.J. simply shakes her head. "I've seen people like you before; that's what this song is about...if you don't ever show any emotion...if you keep it all bottled up inside...your life won't make any sense..." she says spinning out away from Heero and shoving him back in his seat.   
A.J. quickly picks her guitar back up. She gives a thumbs up to Quatre and they start playing the chorus again.  
"We are the normal,  
we live and we die-  
with no reason why...  
there's no reason why...  
We are the normal,  
we live and we die-  
with no reason why..."  
A.J. gives one last good strum on the guitar, Quatre gives one last note on the violin, and the drummer lets out one last cymbal crash signifying that the song is over.  
The auidience gets wild with happiness; they give the alternative band a standing ovation. Even Heero gets up and claps. After everyone sits back down, Heero grabs his jacket and looks at Duo and Hilde. "I'm gong back to the dorm; there's some things I need to do still," he says quietly. "But you'll miss the rest of A.J.'s show!" Duo pouts. Heero ignores this as he walks out into the cold night air.   
Quatre looks over at A.J. and grins. "I can't believe he let you dance with him," he says with that cute grin of his. "Who, Yuy?" A.J. asks curiously. "What do you mean by that?" she says as she tries to play dumb. "Heero doesn't say too much...he's one of those guys that 'actions speak louder than words' applies to...the fact that-he even though he was pushed-danced with you...well it means he likes you to some extent..." Quatre continues to talk about Heero but A.J. blocks him out. "I geuss I made him feel really bad then..." she says grabbing a jacket and running out into the cold night air.   
She looks around and tries to peer through her breath that is creating the fog in front of her face. She sees a shadow in the corner street light. A.J. quickly runs down there before she notices he's standing at a bus stop.  
Heero notices that she's coming and props himself up against the street light. "Look, I just wanted to say that I'm sorry-I was harsh...I shouldn't judge people that are quiet as being emotionless...You have Quat to thank for that..." A.J. says looking at her feet. Heero observes A.J.'s small frame shivering. He takes off his jacket and puts it around A.J. as he begins to walk off. A.J. looks up confused and shouts to him, "you'll freeze too!" "Thanks," Heero simply says. A.J. doesn't understand him at all but just watches as he disappears around the corner.  
A.J., still a little dazed, from Heero's actions goes back to the coffee house. She walks back in and looks around at everyone in the club. Duo jumps up from the table shouting, "Hey- that's Yuy's jacket! I KNEW HE LIKED YOU!" he says while doing his "I'm right" dance. Trowa and Quatre walk over to inspect the jacket. "Yup, that's Yuy's dirty same old plain blue jean jacket," Trowa says with a grin. "He'll hear about it later on tonight," Trowa says snickering to himself. Quatre then perks up and says, "hey! I'm rooming with you guys! One of my sisters volunteered to keep me updated on the company and I just will make public appearances in politics when needed...so I'm moving in tonight!"   
About that time, Catherine walks up, interrupts, and tells Trowa she'll be in her dorm room and that she's going home for the night.  
Duo looks away from Hilde (whom he has been glued to all night) and says, "well, sorry but I won't be there tonight...I'm going home to see my baby girl, Solo!" He hugs Hilde even tighter. Hilde smiles and says, "You guys are welcome to come see her for a little while if you wish." Trowa and Quatre look at each other with big smiles on their faces. "Let's hope she didn't get her father's looks," Trowa says cracking up at his own joke. Duo lets out a huge "HEEY," followed by Quatre saying, "you're getting better at being funny Trowa..."   
Duo then makes a motion behind Hilde to the guys not to come. Hilde turns around and looks at Duo with a raised eyebrow. "Maybe not tonight, huh baby?" he says pleadingly. "Another night, please guys?" he asks Trowa and Quatre. "I have some really, really, important things to do..." "Like what, Duo Maxwell..." Hilde says with a hand on a hip. "Uhhh..." Duo says sweating. "You guys can come-I'm going to go to the bathroom and when I get back we'll all go see her," she says very sternly. Hilde walks off and Duo starts ranting. "You can't come tonight guys, any night, but not tonight..." he says waving his arms around madly. "Why? You gonna try to get a Duo jr.?" Trowa begins to cackle at his joke. "EWWWW..bad mental pictures," Quatre says making a face. "Trowa, haven't you learned that jokes like that aren't funny?" "No, nothing like that...I'm gonna give her a very special present tonight...you know a circle..." Duo says elbowing the guys from inbetween them. "Oh," Quatre says with his eyes lighting up. Trowa is still too busy laughing at his bad joke to care. Hilde comes back and curiously looks at Trowa.  
Quatre says, "don't mind him...he's uhhh...uhh...sick...he's having the heat flu from being at band rehearseal waay too long...he needs sleep...i need to get him home...uhhh...so we're leaving...sorry...another night...we'll come see Solo..." and with that Quatre grabs Trowa and runs out the door.  
"GAAA...Quatre can not lie..." Duo thinks to himself. "Duo?..." Hilde asks. "Why did Quatre have that goofy smile on his face?" "No reason babe, now c'mon and let's go home," Duo says putting his arm around his girl.  
  
Heero puts in his key and opens the door to his dorm. He immeadiately walks over to his laptop and opens a couple of programs. He runs his usual search on one girl but he has also decided to add another.   
He goes to the bathroom and washes his face. When he comes back, a profile and picutre of Relena Peacecraft is on the screen. "Relena," he mumbles as he sits in the chair and takes in a deep breath. He then leans back and closes his eyes as the program continues to run.  
*"I want us to be able to be together in public, Heero..." she says. "I do too, more than anything," Heero says showing much more emotion than Relena is used to seeing. "You don't understand, do you?" she says with that determined tone of voice she has. She throws some paper back at him. "Until you can forget Gundam...until you can stop being a soilder...an emotionless machine of war and be a human being we can't possibly be together..." Heero picks up the paper and stares at her as she tears up. "Is that all I am, Relena?" he says coming close to her. They stand no more than an inch apart. "Is that all you see me as? A machine of war?" Heero says finding his throat dry and wavering for the first time ever. "Heero, you're still drawing plans for Gundam-we're past that...it's a time of peace-peace that I have worked really hard to acheive and I'm NOT going to let you ruin it!" Relena yells in a defiant voice. "Peace! PEACE THAT GUNDAM HELPED YOU TO ACHEIVE!" Heero says getting angry and yelling back at her in his face just as she had. Relena started crying and Heero just left. His heart was aching. She didn't know it but he heard her quietly whisper after he had left, "but you always wipe my tears away, Heero...what does this mean?"*  
*Heero knew she was walking towards him but he had only expected her to say something else to him about being emotionless. "I'm sorry," she said, "I shouldn't judge people that are quiet as being emotionless..." *   
Heero sees Relena in his mind's eye. All he can see is her eyes. "An emotionless machine of war..." echoes in his head. Suddenly, A.J. comes to mind. Her eyes don't seem as cold as Relena's. "I shouldn't judge people that are quiet as being emotionless..."   
His stream of thoughts are stopped by his laptop beeping. There was the live streaming satellite video of Relena Peacecraft having dinner with all the politcal powers that be. They were speaking of what to do to prevent more wars.   
Another video popped up a couple of seconds after that. It was A.J. and her band still performing at the coffee shop. "She still has on my jacket..." Heero whispered feeling a insignificant amount of joy come over him. "Relena would have said it would've made her look too young for her office..." Heero mused.   
*CLICK*  
Trowa and Quatre came in. Heero shut his laptop quickly. "What'cha got there Yuy?" Trowa said with a devious grin. "Hey, how came you gave A.J. your jacket?" Quatre asked curiously with a smile. "She was unable to sustain a body tempature that would protect her from getting a cold," Heero replied quickly hoping his word choice would get the two to quit prying. "Oh," said Trowa, "so you didn't want her to get sick-so you were concerned about her!" Trowa begins laughing. Quatre rolls his eyes, sighs, and says, " I can't believe we have to put up with his lame jokes...seriously though, why'd you give her your jacket?"   
He sits on the bed across from Heero's desk. "I told you once; you don't get to hear an explanation twice," Heero said coldly. Quatre let out another big sigh. "Well, I was wondering becuase that's a big thing in olden days...when a guy gave a girl his jacket it meant he really cherished her...I just thought that would've been someone else..." Quatre said getting up off of the couch. "It was..." Heero thought to himself.  
"Hey Quat," Heero called. "Yea?" he asked. "How'd you meet A.J.?" Quatre grins. He turns around and looks at Heero. "She wanted a date with the cute flute player I knew," he says grinning even more. "Trowa," Heero says raising his voice and eyebrow at the same time. "Yup..." Quatre says nodding his head. "A.J. Marches next to me some of the time and the rest of the show I march next to Trowa..." "Oh," Heero says, "so you're in marching band too?" "Yup," Quatre says enthusiastically. "What do you play?" Heero asks. "B flat clarinet and A.J. plays it too but she also plays saxophone and for this show they needed her to play sax... " Quatre says explaining how talented to Heero that A.J. is. "And even Duo is in the band! He plays bass drum...you should consider joining...you would like it I think..." Quatre says with a slight smile unmaking his bed. Heero looks at him with skepticisim. Trowa enters the room and says, "you really would Heero; you even get a really cool band jacket!" Trowa cracks up at his own joke and Quatre lets out a groan. Heero rolls his eyes and Trowa says he's turning in for the night. Quatre flips over and tells Heero, "just leave the bathroom light on and I'll see ya' in the morning."   
Heero opens his laptop back up. Relena is by herself and she's sleeping in her room. She seems to sleep peacefully even though Heero knows she's hurt. "I don't care though; I wash my hands of it..." he mumbles through a balled up hand over his mouth. He clicks on the other screen. There is A.J., still rocking the night away with her awesome 90's styled alternative music. "That's a rare type of music and her lyrics are very original...she's different..." Heero thinks to himself.   
He shuts the program off and climbs into his bed. He folds his arms under his head and wonders if he'll be able to sleep well tonight. A.J.'s song is still running in his head. "Why can't I keep myself from thinking about her?" Heero wonders. He finally just thinks himself to sleep.  
  
What's up with Heero? Which "her" is he thinking about? What's wrong with Relena? Is Duo gonna propose and where will that leave Heero? Why is Trowa a band geek? Just who exactly is A.J.? All these answers and more next time on Square One! Same bat-time, same bat-channel oh wait wrong story! lol JUST STAY TUNED! R&R PLEAZE! :)  
  
a/n: Hope ya'll like. Umm...please do not flame if you love Relena; I just wanted to maybe find a girl that could mesh better with Heero. This story may also turn out to have a political/war plot too. I dunno...whatever floats my boat. Let me know what you think about A.J. and Heero joining the marching band! lol What instrument(any kind; i.e. original band instruments or even like a bass in the pit) should Heero play? R&R to let me know! And next chapter-we'll be hearing the story from Heero's p.o.v.! YAY! 


	2. Aj Bio

~Aj McClain~   
Full name: Autumn Jewl McClain  
Birthday: September 25  
Birthplace: L1, raised on Earth   
Race: American (irish mostly as you can tell by her last name)  
Height: 5"5'  
Weight: ???  
Likes: 90's music such as alternative and punk, poetry, literature, Shakespeare, theatre, beat poetry, band, creativeness, pizza, guys, fighting for what you believe in, politics  
Dislikes: Ignorance, stupid people, people who won't listen, corrupted politics, stoic people  
Aspirations: To have her band do well enough locally it could be a steady job...and if it does better than that kewl...  
Will probaly: graduate from college and either be a band director or an English teacher  
Personality: Stand-offish to people she doesn't know and doesn't want to get to know. Few are close to her, but those who are know her to be like any other normal person in the world. Known to all the outsiders as: The Misery Chick, cuz she always seems sad or grumpy.  
On the date with Trowa: "I LOVE Trowa but he's a better friend than boyfriend, know? *winks*"  
On Duo, Quat, and Wuffie: "Hehe...what a group of guys! Quat is a really close friend, I would venture to say my best and Duo is sugar boy...lol...Wuffie is just bent on justice for all...he should run for president...*chuckles*"  
On Heero the first time they met(in coffee house): "I thought he was a butthole...glaring me down for stealing one fry, but he's cool now..."  
On the Gundams: "Obssesed with them...want to know how those babies work...if it wasn't illegal now...darn Releena..."  
On Japanimejo: "I LOVE YA' GIRL!!!" *laughs.*  
What's gonna happen in the story? "Well...i dunno...I know I have to sing at Duo's wedding...and I know Heero is going to the bachelor's party and I am going to the bachelorette party...I've got a show soon and then it's back to the daily grind of classes...but who knows?" *thinks pensively*  
Will you ever wear another color besides black? "I'd have to have a heck of a good reason...like special occasion."  
Why don't you like Releena? "Read the next chapter and the chapters to come...I am bound by contract not to giveaway any of the plot."  
"Oh so you know what happens?" says japanimejo looking really annoyed. "Yea, don't you?" says Aj. "I haven't set everything in concrete yet..." bites pencil. "Oh well then...no I guess I have no clue what's going to happen then..." says Aj nonchalantly.   
"Oh but you and Heero are going to LOVE me in the next chapter...muhahahahaaaaa...." says japanimejo.  
"You ranted about that in your next authour's note...what are you going to make us do? huh?" says Aj annoyed. "Oh nothing at all..." japanimejo rolls eyes with imp grin. "I mean c'mon, just think (AND NOT BAD) but bachelor and bachelorette parties can get pretty crazy..."   
"Yea, they can, but I'm not like that...not a party person..." says Aj folding arms. "Oh you're going all right...your arch nemisis will be there and CATFIGHT! MUHAHAHAHAHAAAAAA...." says jo.  
"WAIT! WHAT?!?!?! NO NUH-UH GIMME THAT SCRIPT SO I CAN FIX THIS! YOU CAN'T DO THAT!" screams Aj. Japanimejo runs off and laughs manically. Aj runs after her and starts screaming for Heero to get his gun. Jo takes off to find Duo to protect her. LOL ^_^  
  
~japanimejo says~ hey guys, i realized ya'll don't know much about Aj so I wrote this short bio on her to help ya' out. But stay tuned cuz many things about Aj will be revealed in the coming chapters and the stuff is pretty major in relation to Heero and Releena whether it be them as a couple or as individuals. What am I talking about? Stay tuned to find out!  
*Winks* please, if you like Square One, try my other fic, Escaflowne Returns: Shiryoku's Visions. PLEAZE! ^_^ 


	3. Follow Your Feelings

Square One  
by: japanimejo  
deadicated: Sam-Chan, for she loves heero waaaaay too much! lol plus she wants to see him happy.  
  
Disclaimer:I own no one or anything but A.J. and the idea of this story.   
a/n:Aj's cd title is named, "The Misery Chick" after her campus nickname. The character "Mr. West" is loosely based on a band director I know, which his name is right the opposite. In a book called Episode Zero, Relena supposedly met Heero for the first time on L1 and was unable to speak to him. This story works off that idea, but I DON'T OWN ANYTHING BUT AJ.THEY ALL ARE COPYRIGHTED OF THEIR OWNERS.  
  
important: when you see *=Heero's thoughts. when you see~=Aj's thoughts. If you see ******time passes or switching points of view.  
  
Advertisement: If you like the way this story is set up, please give my Escaflowne fic a chance. It's called "Escaflowne Returns: Shiryoku's Visions." I really think all who like this will love that one. Ummm...this story is now going to Heero's point of view and I'll note if I changed points of view in a a/n like this. Hehe...I am going to have soo much fun with this chapter...muhahahaha...*looks at Heero and A.J. who both look at each other and then jo* muhahhahahaaaa...  
  
Chapter 2: Square One: Follow Your Feelings  
The sunlight hit my face and woke me up. It was so warm. I rubbed my hands over my face and rolled over. I looked down at the bunk beneath mine. Trowa had aready gone leaving his bed in a mess. I looked across the room. Quat's bed was perfectly made up. "Hmn..." I said with a slight smile, "it's just like him to be so neat." I stumbled out of bed and opened my blinds. It was a beautiful day outside. Then her lyrics came rushing back in my mind. "It's a beautiful day, I heard evreyone say..." I shook my head. I really didn't know what to think. I want, at least I think, I want to know her better. But I just can't believe that Relena would have turned into the political machine that she is.  
I get a real quick shower, brush my teeth, and get dressed. I grab my schedule and go to find my buildings that my classes would be in.  
*Sigh* Down the stairs, out the front doors, and to find my car to go drive around campus.  
I drive for a bit and then I notice the clock. It reads: 9:30 a.m. It's a Saturday. "I overslept," I mumble to myself.  
I park the car and look at it as I walk away. "I need to wash it," I say talking aloud. I know that as soon as I do though, it'll rain like it always does.  
I shrug my shoulders and walk up the concrete stairs, across the street, and into the main part of the campus. I look around and go to the student union first, finding my way to buildings from there. "My classes are pretty spaced out...I could just stay in the commons and study before the next class instead of walking all the way back to the car...," I hypothesieze aloud while walking and glancing up from the paper every so often. I stop and look at the union to make sure I was in the right place to start with.  
  
*BUMP*  
  
"Owwww! Hey! Sorry!" says a girl.  
  
*Blink.Blink*  
  
It's Aj.  
  
"Yuy?" she says taking her earphones off. She's been jogging and yet again, she's in all black. "Ummmm...*ahem*...I still have your jacket, you just want me to give it to Quat,Trowa, or Duo at marching band reherseal?"  
I am just standing there like an idiot. Anytime, I get around Aj, I just forget how to even speak. It's not that I don't have anything to say, I just can't get words out to her. The mouth just won't function properly around this girl. "Why can't I just talk to her like anyone esle? What's with the knot in my stomach?" I think frustratedly.  
"That's fine..." I finally manage to mummur. I look back down at the paper in my hands.  
"Uhhh...thanks, by the way, I had been freezing all night long..." she says kinda sheepishly peering over at my paper. "You trying to find your classes?" changing the subject quickly. "Yea," I say not knowing how to be around her. I felt she was so true to herself and too nice to others to be my usual self. For some reason, if I was the "normal" me around her, I feel like I would be cheating her. "Well, I know where all these buildings are and I don't have anything better to do really today..." she says quietly. "So, if you want, I can show you all these buildings so you don't have to walk a million miles all over campus." She jerks the paper out of my hands.  
"Taking all the basics?" she says with a raised eyebrow walking away from me. I just stand there in shock. I looked at my hands and then her with my schedule. "She's just so openly seeming with people..." I think to myself. I mean, my schedule had a bunch of private, significant information on it. She just took it though like it meant nothing.  
I let out a huge sigh and follow her. "I'm just telling you you're gonna get bored, all these profs are easy..." she says picking up her walking pace. Suddenly, she stops and I almost run into her agian.  
"You haven't got a major?" she says turning around sharply with a curious look. I shake my head no still unable to get words out to her. I just feel so frozen around everyone, but she just has a personality that makes you want to melt. "Well, why not? Don't you have something that you love to do and that you could do it for the rest of your life?" she asks very naively. Once again, her words are like arrows and they peirce straight to my heart. No one has ever made me feel this lonely or empty, except for Relena, but she made me feel like no one would ever give me a chance either. Aj seems willing to get to know me. I think before throwing a Death Glare at her.  
Instead, I just snatch the paper back out of her hands.   
"Doneagal."  
"Easy-it's right there," she says pointing to the building in front of us. I hadn't even noticed how far we had walked from the union. The walk was passing so quickly becuase of our talk...well...her talk...  
Aj snatches the paper back from me. "Inoshownen," she says pensively turning. "Probaly the best way is by the band hall," she says smiling. "Duo wants you to join the band...it's not too late you know," she says shoving the piece of paper against my chest. "Duo thinks you'd really enjoy it.." she says while grinning over her shoulder. "I don't play an instrument..." I say very solemnly. "Ah yea you do," she says very non-chalantly. "Everyone does, they just need to try," she says winking at me. "C'mon, we'll go introduce you to the director!" she says dragging me by my shirt sleeve into the hall.  
"Autumn Jewl, Aj,Mac..." says a tall, lanky man. "Yuy, this is Mr. West," she says very proudly showing me to the man. "What are you doing here? Reherseal is over for the day!" he says with a smile. "Band camp/rookie camp stress..." Aj says to me with a hand over one side of her face. Mr. West nods his head in agreement. "This is my friend, Yuy. He plays bass drum and bass guitar...he's a real rythm guy..."  
I give a Death Glare to Aj. She then rolls her eyes and says, " he was even thinking about joining marching band..." I throw another Death Glare her way. It still doesn't phase her. Why won't Death Glares work with this girl?  
"Well, I'd love to have either...little short on both this year...I'd give you a scholarship for $500-$900 depending on how good you are." Aj smiles. I roll my eyes at her. "Yea, that's fine..." I say sounding kinda grumpy.  
We leave and as soon as we get outside Aj says, "that wasn't so bad, now was it?" I grunt at her. "Oh be quiet! PLEASE!" she says disgustedly. "It'll do you some good Yuy, works on those people skills, no?" she says with a mischievous grin.   
"Why won't she call me Heero?" I wonder.  
We walk for a little while longer and find three more of my buildings and then we go back to the Union for some lunch.  
As we walked in, I noticed the stares of all the athletes, frats, and sorroity girls all staring at Aj. "Hey look!" I heard someone shout. "It's the misery chick!"  
Aj simply rolls her eyes and pays them no attention. One guy keeps on with the dirogitory comments though.   
"Oh how clever of you!" Aj says slamming her plate down on the table we were about to sit down to, "you used the title of my cd as an insult...I'm impressed for a peabrain like you!"  
The guy was in a varsity jacket with frat letters on it. He was fuming from her yelling at him and he approached her. "You're a freak- you know that don't you?!?" he says jumping down her throat. "You're not normal!" he screams.  
The whole congregation of the Union is looking at them now. "Does it look like I even care?" she says getting really irratated. "First of all, there is no 'NORMAL'-only average because 'NORMAL' is in the eyes of the beholder. Second, even if there was a' NORMAL' I wouldn't be a part of it because it would mean that I wasn't unique or special. Third, it would mean that I would be like YOU and that's the last thing I would want because that would suck!" she says with a confident,defiant attitude.  
The guy raises his fist to her and that was the last straw for me. My instincts took over then. I jumped up out of my seat and grabbed the guy's wrist. His fist immediately weakens, turning into a limp hand. "Gentlemen are never to raise their hands to ladies," I say throwing his hand back at him. "So chivalry isn't dead..." Aj says with a smile. The guy slowly backs away from me and then calls out as he runs away, "!@#$, just stay away from me!" "No Problem," Aj mumbles sarcastically.  
Now everyone in the cafeteria was looking at me, including Aj. I look at her staring at me. Her arms are folded, her head cocked to the side, and her weight is shifted to one side of her body. She's kinda short and not to skinny but not overweight. She's got major curves and a really small body frame. She reminds me of Relena in a sense. Relena also has a small frame but she is straight figured. Relena also stands up straight constantly. She does everything equally. But both of them have the same type of attitude going for them-that attitude is "what I say goes." Relena enforces her by ways of talking over things where as Aj is willing to fight for it.  
"Thanks...uhhh...don't take this the wrong way...but you didn't have to take up for me ya' know? I could've done it myself...I'm not helpless ya' know?" she says sitting down finally and motioning for me to do likewise. Relena was always so dependent of me; she never would've said that.   
"He was going to hit you though," I say quietly avoiding her eyes. "I reacted on what I have been trained-" I caught myself. Luckily, Aj interrupted me too.  
"No matter-if he had hit me, I would've found someway to kick his butt...somehow..." she says very determinedly.   
"She and Relena are definately different from each other," I think with an inward smile.   
"So, did you hear that Duo and Hilde are engaged?" Aj says perking up with a smile. When she smiles, she looks so happy. I've never seen anyone look that geniunely happy in life. Not even Relena, who is the most hopeful person I know. Well- with the exception of Duo, of course. But come to think of it, when Relena smiles, it's as if there is a deep sadness in her eyes...  
I nod my head that I did get the news, and go on to say, "...he woke me up at midnight to tell me that...I wouldn't answer the phone at 11:00..." Aj rolled her eyes and said with a grin, "yup, that's Duo alright! You're gonna pay attention to him." She giggles and I almost want to myself.  
"So," she says with her smile widening. "Aren't you happy for those two?" I nod my head yea, even though I know that I will be losing my best friend. Aj was sitting there waiting for some kind of acknowledgement from me. "Think of something to say,Yuy..." ran through my head. I blurted out, "I'm Duo's best man!" "Really? Well I geuss I'll being seeing you around more than I expected...I'm singing all their songs for them," Aj says wikning at me.   
"So where are you from originally?" Aj asks enthusiastically. "L1," I say very quietly. "REALLY?!?!" she says almost jumping out of her seat. "I AM TOO!" she says very proudly.  
I looked across the table and stared Aj right in the eyes. After she had said she was from L1, a rush of memories came flooding back in my head. I knew something about seeing her poster caught me that night in the coffee shop and now I knew. I recognized her. I had known her.  
She giggles with a hand covering her mouth. "Maybe we know each other and don't even know it!" I just can't get over it. She's from my colony and I know who she is. I looked at her eyes to be sure.  
She looked me right back in my eyes. "You know, I used to know this girl on L1 who was really shy...and she wanted to talk to this war orphen she had seen around...and she couldn't do it becuase she didn't know how to introduce herself..and I can remember telling her to do it like this, 'stick out your hand and say hi my name is Autumn. What's yours?'"  
I felt my heart skip a beat as it did so many times when I was around her. Then the memories of the first time I saw Releena crossed my mind like a soft wind. She stood there in the warm sunset behind her saying, "...it's a boy!" I can remember everything seeming like it was in slow motion. I remember her sandy golden hair swaying in the wind as she walked over. She had a pleasant aura that came with her and I remember just wanting to know her. Funny, that aura is gone now.   
Aj though, I remember meeting up with her on the street just before I saw Releena the first time on L1. "You should go around the corner..." she chirped with a happy smiling face. I didn't answer her;she was too perky for me. "I know you're listening to me...even if I don't know you're name, but it doesn't matter- I know your eyes and that's all that matters...I'll know you anywhere becuase you have a very unique pair of eyes..." she said skipping off. After I saw Releena, Aj appeared out of nowhere wanting to know how things had gone between us. As usual, I didn't answer her, and she had countered my silence with this, " You know, I don't care if you don't want a friend, I WILL always be your friend because everyone needs a friend..." She ended our little visit with a hug and just walked off. Just like that my friend was gone.  
"Yuy? Are you listening?" Aj looked at me trying to understand why I wasn't answering. "Sorry," I replied, "I was thinking about my home before I lost it..." I said peering at her eyes again making sure I was remembering the same girl. "Oh..." she said her chipper eyes becoming a little saddend. "Yeah, I can relate...My parents were both American, but they loved L1 and that was our home...so I lost them too...I was a war orphen for a while until my friend's parents found some relatives of mine on Earth..." she said looking off to the side.   
"She's proving herself to be that girl..." I think to myself. "I wonder...she would have had to known Releena to be her...but Releena lived on Earth...she couldn't be her..."  
I saw her eyes caught the plasma screen hanging in the center of the cafeteria. Releena was making a speech to the public. She did it constantly nowdays. "I really can't stand her..." Aj said grumpily. I looked at her with a confused look. "Why? You know her?"   
"No," she said defiantly sticking her nose up in the air. "I just don't like her, I mean look at what she has done with her life...she threw it all away...and at such a young age...if she does one thing wrong, the press will hound her, the government will persecute her, and the scum of the Earth will try to have her assinated...not only that, but if she was to marry, she'd have to have someone in politics cuz with them everything is about power, know? I wouldn't have done that with my life...she's stupid...and then she preaches on about pacifism, but what good does that do? It is inherent in humans to fight...peace is nothing but a result of war..."  
My heart was racing. I really liked Aj. At the beginning of this statement, I felt like defending Releena, but what she said made sense. And her last words, "...peace is nothing but a result of war..." that's how I felt about things. I have even said that myself. I felt like I was connecting on a level that I had never connected with someone before. It was like she understood what was going through my head and agreed. I almost wanted her to stick around so that I could just spend time with her. But I stopped myself...that's going too far to be sociable...but I am trying to be human...  
I finally swallowed my fear and pride and said it, " I agree." "Huh?" Aj turned around quickly from watching Releena's speech. "Peace is nothing but a result of war..." A small smirk crept across her normally opionated face. "Finally, someone who agrees!" she screams throwing up her hands in excitement. She leans in close to me on the table and waves her index finger to tell me to lean foward also. I do so and she whispers something.  
"What did you think about the Gundams?" she says with a mischievious grin. I couldn't help it. I smiled. I really liked this girl. "I loved them," she said after my slight pause. "Yea, they are great, aren't they?" I said. "Yuy," she said with that impish grin. "Hmn?" I said with an inquistive voice. "Your face is a lot cuter with that smile on it." I rolled my eyes and smiled a little more for her. I don't believe this. My head is pulling me back to Releena but heart says differently. My heart is pulling me to Aj. Why? What's the difference between the two?  
"OH NO! I'M LATE!" Aj suddenly screamed grabbing all of her food and dishes. "What?" I said wanting her to come back. "I have reherseal for the wedding!" she yelled running off. Then I did something off of instinct. I grabbed her wrist pulling her back to me. "Wait..." I said not realizing what I had done. "I have a car; let me drive you-speedometer goes up to 140 mph..." That imp grin of hers came across her face again. "You might be ok afterall Yuy."   
******************  
I couldn't believe what I had done. Aj was sitting in the passenger's seat and she was being a lot nicer than she had been the other night. I wondered why. "Why are you being so nice to me?" I ask. She looks over at me and replies, "I thought you were a stoic guy from the moment I watched you walk in-stoics are one of my pet peeves...but then you gave me your jacket...i don't know what that means to you, but to me, it proved you cared for me...so I decided you can't be all that bad..." I simply nod my head.  
"So, you like Gundams?" I said with a squeeky voice. What has gotten into me?  
"Yeah, love'em..." she says trailing off with starry eyes. "My favorite one was the one with the wings..." she continued staring out the window. "Zero..." I replied while pressing my lips afterwards. "Huh?" Aj looked over at me quickly. "They had names...supposedly..." I said glancing at her. "The one with wings...it's name was Zero..." "Oh," she says looking impressed. "How do you know that?" Aj looked at me with a supsicious stare. "Ummm...let's say I accidentally hacked into their site..." I said with a slight hint of pleasure in my voice. I can't believe I almost let myself have a breech of information. I could tell that I was impressing Aj though and I wanted to continue to impress her, even if that meant telling her that I was a Gundam pilot. I knew I couldn't though. "I want to meet a pilot..." Aj said randomly. "Yea,?" I asked raising an eyebrow. "Yea, I want to know what the brains of the gundams look like, and I wanna sit in the cockpit, and I want to pilot one!" she says with the enthusiasim of a little child. Then I see it. Even though she hates Releena, she looked exactly like the friend Releena had on L1 just then. "Well..." I said with a slight sigh and laugh.  
I pulled the car over and unlocked the door for her to get out. "Thanks for the ride, Yuy!" she chirped. She ran down the concrete pathway and slung the churchdoor open. I watched the door shut and I let out a sigh. I felt like the world was finally right, for once.  
Then I turned to my window to see the ugliest smashed pig face ever. "DAH!" I yelled in the car. "BWAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA...." It was Duo. "I can't believe it! I SCARED YUY!" he says while dancing around. He's bent double and laughing his buns off at me. "Wooooooo...that face is priceless!" he continues while pointing at me from his half bent stance. "I wish I had a camera!" "Shut up, Maxwell..." I say sternly. "Oh but you are tense about something, and you are never tense...I think that either Releena or Aj has gotten to you...but which one is it Heero?" I eye him. "Cuz you see, you I've been trying to get you all day...You're my best man and you have to have a lady to escort...but which girl do you want, cuz both of them are here..." Duo says patting my back and keeping his arm on my shoulder.   
My heart starts to race again. "This sucks..." I think to myself.   
Duo walks with me into the church and Aj is near the alter and looks at both of us walking in. "I thought you were leaving, Yuy..." she says quietly. I looked at her carefully. Her face was pale and fading from all color it had had just moments ago. "What's wrong with her," I wonder.   
Just then, Hilde and someone I didn't realize was here walked in. Then Duo's words hit me on the head like a ton of bricks. "...you have to escort a lady...which girl do YOU WANT?" I can hear him saying. I watch as Aj's eyes follow the girl's every movements as she approaches me. "It's been a while, Heero..." she says looking at me with those glass blue-green eyes.  
I felt it all over again. I felt her sweet, gentle prescence. I smelled her signature perfume and she was looking more radiant than ever. I said nothing though. I stayed silent. She closed her eyes and smiled. "I understand if you have nothing to say to me..." Duo just looked at us both. I glanced up at him and he seemed to give me the sign to make amends and at least get on talking terms. Just above that braided baka's braid, I could see Aj. Her face was solemn, gahstly white, and her eyes were sad. Her arms were crossed and she looked like she could kill anyone that came near her. Now I understood what she meant by, "...they call me the the Misery Chick..." I didn't like seeing her like that though.  
Duo then steps foward and says, " Miss Vice-Foriegn Minister Peacecraft-" "It's Darlian," says an adjetated voice and it's not Releena's. Everyone turns to look at Aj. "No need to introduce us, we know each other already, from way back in the day..." she says grumpily while rolling her eyes. "And hello to you, Autumn," says Releena shooting a glare Aj's way. "Listen, this is a wedding, try not to wreck it? K? Just cuz you were someone from birth doesn't mean you should get the spotlight all the time! OH, and it's McClain- we're not even on a first name basis."   
I was right. I could definately see it now. This IS the girl who promised to be my friend forever. But I wondered if she realized that it was me she promised to befriend... Why does she hate Releena though? It was evident that it was for more than the reasons she had described to me earlier. "Heero," Releena pouted while taking my arm. "I would like for you to escort me down the aisle for the wedding." I thought about it for a second. Before I could say anything though, I heard Aj mumbling something. "...do and I'll never speak to your sorry butt again..." I couldn't get her out of my head. What did Aj know about Releena that I didn't?  
"For now at least..." I said. Releena clenched my tricep even harder. "I was hoping you would say that," she said looking in Aj's direction who then tossed her mike aside and left. She left out the front doors of the church saying, "I can't possibly sing a happy song right now..."  
Duo headed toward the door and Releena reached out and stopped him saying, "don't worry about this; I'll handle it." "If you're sure..." Duo said pulling a lost Hilde close.   
I simply stood there in silent disbelief. "That's my friend," I thought to myself.   
(outside)(Aj's pov)  
"She'd better not try to come wussy things over with me..." I say narrowing my glare on her. I stood underneath the shade of a tree with the wind freely blowing. It was such a pretty day. Not too sunny, but not raining. Just cloudy and overcast. A little chilled. "It's a beautiful day..." I started singing to myself and folding my arms against my chest. I close my eyes and just take it all in. "Autumn..." I hear a voice call. "Go die, Darlian..." "Surely, you don't mean that..." she says. "No, I would rather see you torchured, actually..." I say sarcastically and now opening my eyes to see her. She doesn't look like she has any actual remorse for anything that she had done to me.   
"Autumn-" she starts while looking at her feet and hands with her head hanging down. "McClain!" I yell at her. "Whatever, it doesn't matter...we were friends and we had said nothing would come between us..." I clench my fists and grit my teeth. "Yea, that held true until one of us became a little backstabbing-" I said angrily. "I DID NO SUCH THING!" she screamed as almost if she were in tears. "Oh that's a bunch of b.s....they gave you homecoming queen, you stole my head cheerleading spot and all that was forgivable, but then you stepped the line...you took my one date with him- the only guy I had ever wanted to date...I had worked three long years for that date-PROM- and you," I say almost wanting to cry. "You took him...deliberately...that's unforgivable..." I say walking off by myself.   
"I want my guitar," I pouted. I walk aimelessly along the capmus, having no certain destination. Actually, I just wanted to find a place to rest where I wouldn't be bothered. Then, out of the corner of my eye, a blue sports car pulled up next to me. I glanced over at it and I couldn't believe who I saw.  
***********************(Heero's pov)  
"I can't believe I am doing this," I said as I rolled down the window. "Hey..." I called to Aj. She looked so different. I understood the campus nickname for her now. She looked so miserable. A pale face, small frame, black hair, black nails, black clothes...and sad, depressed eyes. But she was so happy around Duo, Quat, Trowa, and me...  
"Just leave me alone..." she says softly. "I can't leave you alone..." I blurted out. I had never said that before in my life. I hadn't even said that to Releena. She glanced over at me in the car. I came to a complete stop and she walked over and hung her small hands and head over the edge of the car door. "Why?" she asked with sweet eyes. "Why are you being so nice to me? I thought you were mean the first night I met you; I didn't think I was going to like you, but you are such a good friend to care about me as genuinely as you do...why?"  
~A picture flashed in my head. "...I will always be your friend, becuase everyone needs a friend..." says a smiling little girl's face. I stared into the cinema clip playing in my mind's eye and it then my true eyes focused in on a grown up version of the girl. Those eyes still hadn't changed a bit. Her face was a little more mature, but she still retained a child-like look about her.~  
"Becuase," I said quietly. I leaned in a little towards her with my hand still on the wheel. "I will always be your friend, because everyone needs a friend..." Aj then stands up and leans her head to the side. "That seems familiar, almost a feeling of deja vous...but I have never met you before...I'm pretty sure..."  
"No, you probaly haven't..." I said with an inward pleasure. I just want to care for Aj like she tried to take care of me when I was young. She was such a caring and passionate person.  
"Yuy?" she said looking at her feet while shuffeling them against the ground. "You're really proving me wrong..." she said with a little smile spreading across her gentle face. "I'm glad to know that you're a friend...but just know, you haven't been invited on the inside of the circle yet..."   
"I understand," I reply. "Do you want a ride back?" I said with much hope. "Only if you'll go get my guitar out of the church for me..." she said pouting sarcastically. She slung the door open and got in. She looked like she could be in tears at any moment.  
I started to pull back out into traffic. I threw a quick look at her and said, "you know, I'm rather good at listening to people..."  
"Yuy,- you're not on the inside yet..." she replied solemnly. "Gaaaa...she's like me...." I thought. I snuk another glance at her.  
Her head was proped up against her hand against the window. She seemed to be just staring aimlessly.   
I pulled the car over and I got out to get her guitar. I came back with it and she looked ten times happier already. "I can't wait to play this song..." she said. "In case you haven't noticed," she giggled a little. "Music is my therapy."  
Wonder what my therapy is...goodness knows I need it according to the world...  
"Back to the dorm?" I ask. "Yea," she says quietly. "Are you going to Hilde's bachelorette party?" "Yea..."   
"So when's the dress reherseal?" I ask trying to keep the conversation going. "I think it's a week from today, so next saturday maybe? I dunno...I was just told to show up today so they could hear different songs and pick what they wanted me to sing..." she says running her fingers through her front red streaks in her hair.   
"Hey Yuy?" she says with another minute giggle. "You passed my dorm..." "Oh," I say feeling a ton of blood run to my face. I couldn't believe it. I was blushing- over a woman!  
I backed the car quickly up in the road and I turned into her dorm parking lot. She silently got out and grabbed her guitar from the trunk.   
"Bye, Yuy...thanks" she says with a smile. There. That made me happy. Her eyes were happy again and I loved seeing her smile.  
I drove off with a full heart knowing that I had tried to help someone. It made me seem worthwhile and real. I liked that feeling.  
*********************(Aj's pov)  
I watch him drive off in his fancy blue sports car. "He's not that bad and does seem trustworthy...still I have been hurt by so many that I have cared for...I like my circle of friends to stay small..." I say pulling out my guitar.  
I strum a couple of notes before I sing a song truly from my heart.  
fukai fukai mori no oku ni ima mo kitto  
okizari ni shita kokoro kakushite'ru yo  
(I'm sure that the heart I left behind  
still lies hidden in the heart of the deep, deep forest.)  
sagasu hodo no chikara mo naku tsukarehateta  
hitobito wa eien no yami ni kieru  
(Exhausted, without the strength to search  
people vanish into the infinite darkness.)  
~ As I strum the song and wonder will I ever fully trust people with all my heart like I once did in my life. I was still pretty open with how I felt about things, but as far as giving my heart to anyone...I just couldn't do it...~  
*As I was driving home, I wondered what the heck was coming over me. My advice to people has always been follow your feelings...but my mind and heart have always been in agreement...what do I do when they contradict each other?...I usually went back to being my frozen self, standing in the same spot, never charging ahead, but never taking a step backwards.*  
chisai mama nara kitto ima demo mieta ka na  
If it's so small, I wonder if I can see it even now?  
~Have I lost my heart? I don't want to become jaded and not feel anything at all. To me, that is the scariest thing in the world...not being able to feel anything at all...~  
*I look out the window and see various couples walking by. I want to be with someone like that. I am sick and tired of seeing everyone else around me being able to freely express their love and I can't. I have a heart; it's just no one can really see it.*  
* boku-tachi wa ikiru hodo ni  
nakushite'ku sukoshi zutsu  
itsuwari ya uso wo matoi  
tachisukumu koe mo naku  
*( As we live on,  
we lose a little bit more.  
Shrouded in falsehoods and lies,  
we stand frozen to the spot, unable to cry out)  
~That's why I don't let too many people on the inside of my circle. When I let people on the inside, I'd give them a little piece of me. But people are stupid, and they hurt feelings, they lie...they run off with that little piece of me leaving nothing but a black hole behind...I slowly begin to deteriorate...I drew away from others, I froze my heart becuase I didn't want to know sorrow anymore...~  
*I feel like I am losing out on so many things that average guys experience...I was a soilder...a machine just like Relena said...everything I thought I knew that was true, that was pure...it was all peverse...that's why I closed up from the world,that's why I froze my heart...I didn't want to feel the sting of rejection,pain, and hate...I didn't want to hurt anyone and I didn't want them to hurt me...*   
aoi aoi sora no iro mo kidzukanai mama  
sugite yuku mainichi ga kawatte yuku  
(The days pass by and change,  
without us even realizing how blue the sky really is.)  
tsukurareta wakugumi wo koe ima wo ikite  
sabitsuita kokoro mata ugokidasu yo  
(Overcoming that made-up scheme, we live the present,  
and our rusted hearts begin to beat again!)  
~Heero...he's different all right...When I look at him, I see in his eyes this great want to be a great person...I believe he is really a kind,gentle, caring person, but what is stopping him?~  
*Aj notices all the little things in life...I remember her saying at lunch something about a leaf and the sky...only she would pay attention to a minor detail like that..is that what makes everything meaningful? The little things in life?*  
toki no RIZUMU wo shireba mo ichido toberu darou  
(If we can find the rhythm of time, we can fly once again)  
~There is a certain way to becoming the people we want to be in life...If we try to become that person; we'll fail. We must learn through experience-sadness, happiness, pain, pleasure...we must experience the extremes to find a happy medium...a "rythm" we need to find to live life to the fullest...~ (Aj hears a violinist, and turns to see Quat has been watching her...he sits down and plays the rest of the song with her. He plays a beautiful solo and then they both start singing and playing the next chorus.)  
*I want my heart to fly like it was durning the war...fighting for what I believed in made me feel like I had such a purpose- that I wasn't useless...that my life wasn't disposable...*  
boku-tachi wa samayoi nagara  
ikite yuku doko made mo  
shinjite'ru hikari motome  
arukidasu kimi to ima  
(We live our lives  
wandering to the ends of the earth.  
Believing, now I begin my journey with you,  
in search of the light.)  
~Maybe I should give Heero a chance to be on the inside of the circle...I don't want to lose out on a journey with someone who seems like a really great person...maybe we could look for our lost hearts, together...~  
*I've wandered everywhere in space, Earth, and the Colonies...still, I find myself lacking the things that all "happy" people have...What makes me different? What makes me happy? Maybe, if Aj was with me, she could help me find out...*  
boku-tachi wa samayoi nagara  
ikite yuku doko made mo  
furikaeru  
michi wo tozashi  
aruite'ku eien ni  
(We live our lives  
wandering to the ends of the earth.  
Closing off  
the way back,  
we walk on for eternity.)  
~I refuse to live my life closed off from everyone anymore! I'll let Heero in and we'll do this together...I feel that he won't betray me...I feel he's an honest man...I feel...that he's a friend...~  
*That's it! From this moment on, I, Heero Yuy, promise to myself that I will live my life by my own philosophy...follow your feelings! My heart says to seek out Aj...my friend for eternity...and maybe more...most of all, I won't turn back down this path! Never again!*  
tachisukumu koe mo naku  
ikite yuku eien ni  
(We live our lives standing frozen to the spot,  
unable to cry out, for eternity...)  
~I end the song on a solemn note, wondering if I can really do what I just promised to myself I would-befriend the lonely Yuy. I don't know why I'm so scared of him...maybe, deep down...I...I...~(Quat sits down next to her to talk about the song.)  
*As I get out of the car, I look out into the horizion. A beautiful autumn sunset was taking place. The hues ranged from deep orange at the bottom of the sky meeting the brown trees, to the rose colored sky hanging above the yellow in between. "Hmn...all this time, I had been living by a moral...but not to it's fullest...but now I will...'Follow Your Feelings...'*  
[End]  
[More authour's notes: The song is "Fukai Mori" bka in English known as "Deep Forrest" from the 2nd ending theme of Inu-Yasha, which I also don't own. The translation came from the wonderful site of www.animelyrics.com.]  
[I'd be very pleased since I took the time to write such a looong chapter this time, if you would give me a review...the more reviews i get...the more encouraged i am...the faster the next chapter will be out! *winks* later guys! lovealways~japanimejo~] 


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